The 2026 retail media playbook

The future of retail media tech: AI, agentic commerce, and first-party data at Zalando

In this episode of Inside Fashion Marketing, you will discover exactly how artificial intelligence, advanced self-service platforms, and robust first-party data are transforming modern retail media from basic sponsored product listings into a powerful, full-funnel e-commerce growth engine. Host Heike Lari (Director Partner Marketing and Consultancy at Zalando Partner Marketing Services) sits down for a fascinating chat with Diaa Abdallah, VP Tech at ZMS, live from the e-commerce and retail tech hub of Berlin, Germany. Together, they pull back the curtain on how Zalando builds its innovative marketing technology entirely in-house to serve brands across Europe. Diaa brings over a decade of performance optimization and audience targeting experience from his time at Amazon to explain how ZMS slices and dices data from 53 million active customers to deliver highly personalized ad experiences. The duo dives deep into the tangible tools empowering brands today, ranging from flexible MaxCPC steering controls for premium products to cutting-edge AI features that generate creative assets in seconds. They also tackle the massive macro shifts impacting the global marketing landscape, exploring the rise of agentic commerce, off-site AI integrations (like ChatGPT ads), and how retailers are securely guarding their data while building conversational tools like the Zalando Assistant. Whether you are looking to maximize your short-term Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) or understand the downstream impact of long-term brand awareness campaigns, this episode provides a comprehensive playbook for the future of digital commerce. Key Takeaways From This Episode: In-House Tech & Self-Service Innovation: Learn why ZMS relies on entirely proprietary, in-house engineering to build highly intuitive self-service tools that give brands ultimate campaign flexibility. Granular Control via MaxCPC: Discover how automated algorithms work hand-in-hand with manual controls, allowing brands to adjust what they pay per click based on whether a product is a premium item or a discounted asset. Unlocking First-Party Data safely: Understand how millions of daily customer transactions and page views are utilized to build highly tailored audience segments, resulting in significantly higher click-through rates (CTR) and campaign performance. The Rise of Agentic Commerce: Diaa shares his expert view on the dual trend of AI commerce, integrating off-site with popular AI platforms while enhancing internal, conversational shopping experiences. Bridging Digital Tech with Real-World Experiences: Discover how ZMS transcends traditional retail media by connecting online campaign tech with physical event spaces to build comprehensive, end-to-end consumer memories. The ZMS "Steerco" Culture: An inside look at Zalando's collaborative internal environment in Germany, which focuses on inclusion, team consensus, and empowering individual engineers to rapidly prototype natural-language data solutions. Explore Zalando Partner Marketing Services: https://partner.zalando.com/services/marketing [https://partner.zalando.com/services/marketing]

From Inspiration to “I do”: How Pinterest turns trends into real-world events

Pinterest turns wedding inspiration into real-world impact - blending cultural insight, creativity, and commerce. Dive in with Vesselina Markova-Kauffmann, Director Retail at Pinterest, as she unpacks how weddings are evolving into immersive, emotional “worlds” - and why trends like Rooted Romance, Ethereal Shimmer, and Messy Coquette are shaping the next wave of consumer behavior. From digital discovery to live experience, this episode reveals how brands can show up earlier, connect deeper, and win the moments that truly matter.

How Karl Lagerfeld x Paris Hilton achieved a 123% sales uplift

What happens when a heritage brand meets a cultural phenomenon? In this episode of Inside Fashion Marketing, Heike Lari (Director Partner Marketing at Zalando) sits down with Mirjam Schüle (SVP Marketing at Karl Lagerfeld) to dissect the "From Paris with Love" campaign. Discover how the brand leveraged the "Star Power" of Paris Hilton to drive record-breaking engagement and sales across Europe. Key Takeaways: * The Original Influencer: Mirjam explains why Paris Hilton was the top choice from a list of 80 talents, citing her as the first person to build a digital personal brand, much like Karl Lagerfeld himself. * A Deep Heritage Connection: This wasn't just a paid endorsement; Paris Hilton has been a fan of Karl for years, often wearing his signature fingerless gloves in her DJ sets and learning branding tips directly from the master. * Staggering Campaign Results: The collaboration drove a 123% increase in sales during the launch and a 50% boost in Product Detail Page (PDP) views on Zalando. * The "Thumb-Stopping" Reveal: Learn about the creative strategy behind the "reveal" moment, where Paris Hilton was first shown from behind to mimic Karl's iconic silhouette, creating immediate consumer intrigue. * Cross-Generational Reach: Known as the "Queen of Y2K," Paris Hilton allowed the brand to connect with a diverse demographic ranging from ages 15 to 60. * Aufzählungs-TextInside the Maison: A preview of the follow-up summer campaign, "Sliving in the Maison," featuring Paris Hilton at Karl Lagerfeld’s historic office on Rue Saint-Guillaume. Learn more about Zalando Partner Marketing Services: https://partner.zalando.com/services/marketing [https://partner.zalando.com/services/marketing]

The 2026 retail media playbook

Retail Media is everywhere. But the basics? Often blurred. In this season opener, Heike Lari breaks retail media down to its core. What it is, who it’s for, and why it’s a full-funnel growth engine, not just a lower-funnel sales tool. From ROI vs. ROAS to awareness, consideration, and conversion - this episode gives you the shared language and KPI clarity every brand needs. Check out our website [https://partner.zalando.com/services/marketing] for more insights.

Kiri Masters on what’s next in retail media: US vs. Europe & the 2026 edge

Tune in to our last episode of the 2025 season to hear Kiri Masters - retail media industry expert, columnist, and podcast host of "The Retail Media Breakfast Club" [https://www.retailmediabreakfastclub.com/] - discuss all things retail media with us. Heike and Kiri talk about what has changed in the past year in the retail media sphere, what we might see coming in 2026, and differences between the US and Europe.